A team of researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), have developed an advanced solar collector technology using an evacuated tubular solar collector and eccentric type manifold flange.
A team of researchers at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), have developed an advanced solar collector technology using an evacuated tubular solar collector and eccentric type manifold flange.
During the application of solar energy there is a significant need for high capacity and efficiency collar collectors. The high efficiency this solar collector technology is obtained, to some extent, by applying the heat pipe as a highly efficient electric heat element and the vacuum technology. However, the efficiency of solar collector technology can be significantly reduced when solar energy is not fully transferred, even though it has been efficiently collected. As such, the transfer of collected heat energy to a water heater through a heating medium flow conduit, without the loss of heat, is an important variable in determining the overall efficiency of use of the solar energy.
Thus, the optimum design of a heat pipe and a manifold which are a primary gateway to transfer the heat acts as a very important variable. It is vital that solar collector technology can be developed which both increases efficiently in tandem with the reduction in manufacture and operation costs. In common solar collector devices thermal efficiently and economic costs increase as the entrance/exit of a fluid which is the heating medium is positioned on the centre line in a direction in which the fluid flows, the flowing heating medium does not sufficiently contact with the condenser of the heat pipe. As a result, heat is not uniformly transferred from the condenser of the evacuated tubular solar collector.
This highly sophisticated technology bares several important benefits to solar collection processes and offers a next-step alternative to common solar collection technologies.
Method:
This advanced technology offers an alternative to the inherently limited solar collector technology and provides an evacuated tubular solar collector with an eccentric type manifold flange. This technology’s comprises: an evacuated tubular solar collector positioned vertical to a ground surface; a manifold being installed at an upper position of the evacuated tubular solar collector, the heat dissipation hole receiving a condenser of a heat pipe; eccentric end caps attached to both sides of the manifold, the eccentric end cap including a fluid path; and wherein the fluid path is formed to be at an uppermost position of each eccentric end cap highest from the ground.
In a conventional manifold, fluid entrance/exit are positioned on the centre line in a direction in which a fluid flows. Thus, to discharge the air present within the manifold outside, an air vent by a venting pipe is necessarily installed at an upper part of the manifold. Additionally, this evacuated tubular solar collector with an eccentric type manifold flange uses an eccentric end cap, including a fluid path being eccentrically formed is used, and thereby removes the air vent attached to a manifold and reduces manufacturing costs. Furthermore, a baffle including several ventilators formed at heating medium entrance/exit is attached, thereby changing the flow of a heating medium and improving the electric heat performance of the manifold.
The present invention is directed to provide an evacuated tubular solar collector with an eccentric type manifold flange, which uses eccentric end caps including an air path formed at the highest position, thereby maintaining thermal performance, simplifying a structure of a manifold, reducing manufacturing costs, and making it easy to maintain and manage the manifold; and further, which attaches a baffle including a number of ventilators formed at heating medium entrance/exit inside the eccentric end cap, thereby changing a flow of a heating medium, increasing the heat transfer performance at a contact area between an condenser of a heat pipe and a fluid which is the heating medium, improving the electric heat performance of a manifold, and reducing manufacturing costs.
This technology has obvious benefits to the solar energy generation sector, being specifically targeted at improving efficiency in solar collection.
Intellectual property status
Granted Patent
Patent number : 8113192
Where : US
Current development status
Commercially available technologies
Desired business relationship
Technology selling
Patent licensing
Joint ventures
Technology development
New technology applications
Adaptation of technology to other markets
Since the founding in 1977, the KIER has had focused on energy technology R&D which is closely related with our living standards and national security while overcoming the challenges we have faced as a resource poor country.
KIER's R&D areas include improving efficiency and securing environment-friendly way in use of limited conventional energy resources such as oil, coal as well as natural gas and exploring new energy sources such as solar, wind and water as well as its commercialization.
The KIER also strives towards technology transfer which can be reflected in successful commercialization of our remarkable R&D outcomes by means of industrialization of excellent intellectual property rights, enlarging its R&D activity in bottleneck technology based on small and medium sized enterprises, and communicating actively with markets through "1 researcher to 1 enterprise" technique guidance.
enlarging its R&D activity in bottleneck technology based on small and medium sized enterprises, and communicating actively with markets through "1 researcher to 1 enterprise" technique guidance.
Energy has had a significant influence not only on living standards in a society, but also upon national competitiveness and security. Therefore, the KIER will do its best in developing energy technology for future generations.
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